The Japanese National Honor Society held their third movie night fundraiser in the library last Friday, Nov. 15, raising over $200 from donations and food sales. The event featured a showing of director Hayao Miyazaki’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” with English subtitles, according to event organizer and San Dieguito senior Laura Breidenthal.

“The purpose of the movie night is to spread a little Japanese culture to the school,” said Breidenthal. “Last year we raised money for Tsunami relief in Japan. This year we plan on using the funds to make JNHS events bigger and better and hopefully [to] raise money for another great cause!” To raise the funds, event volunteers sold a variety of Japanese foods and, for the first time, club-made buttons. Popular snacks included mochi, pocky, and onigiri, as well as free green tea.

JNHS member and SDA senior Nina McKendree commented on the 60 people in attendance at this year’s event:  “We had a full house, and even had to add more chairs. [There were] more [people] than we have had at any other movie night previously.”

Not only was the turnout strong, it was also varied. “The movies bring in a really diverse group of people – not just the Japanese class,” said Breidenthal.

Senior Deckard Mehdy noticed the many parents and younger siblings in attendance.  “I saw a couple of parents in the crowd watching, and I think that just shows how accepting SDA culture is,” said Mehdy. “It’s cool to see parents there that like the same stuff that we do.”

Others, like freshman Veronica Ness, enjoyed the social aspect of the movie night, citing the origami lessons, pre-movie social, and intermission as a great time to “get to know some of the people that I didn’t know very well.”

“I think the night was a success,” said Breidenthal. “Everyone looked like they were having fun and there were even some tears at the end of the movie.”